The boat that killed Joel Halpern was a 37.6' flat deck Cigarette. I think it was Al Copeland's first race boat and I think the accident actually happened on his first race????? The boat went on to be renamed 'Stiletto', not sure what happened with it after that.

Richards boat is one of only two bubble decks and did race as 'Popeyes' and 'Halter Racing'. It is a 39' and built in 1979. The 37.6' was popped out of the same mould but blocked off to create a slightly shorter boat, as requested by Jerry Jacoby and raced as 'Ajac Hawk' with Bob Saccenti. This of course was the first of what turned into the Top Gun series, I think Popeyes/Stiletto was boat #2 but not totally sure on that. The other bubble deck was built for Billy Martin but predominantly owned and raced by Michelle Maynard as 'Bounty Hunter' and 'Fayva Shoes'. The boat is now in Poole, UK.

Having given this some more thought over night, it would probably make more sense if Al Copeland owned the bubble deck before the flat deck. It's an older boat and it seems sensible to think that the bubble deck was sold to buy the boat of a newer design.......

Is there anybody out there that knows for sure??

Stan Ware

I'm looking at pictures of the collision in My Searace book of Al Copeland an Joel Halpern. Al was in the flat deck #37 an Joel was in Michelob Lite cat #2

Thats right and Joey Ippolito was navigating for Joel but he survived. What a tragic loss for the sport. I saw Joel's 38' Cobra 'Beep Beep' race a couple of times and thought he was great!

I rember Beep Beep. Good old days.